BAIN Arthur Edwin

Arthur enlisted on 29 February 1916 at Brisbane with the 3rd Field Artillery Brigade FAB (B Company).

He was a farmer from Buderim Mountain, Queensland and was described as being 29 years old, single, 5 feet 10 inches tall, 31–35 inch chest, blue eyes, dark brown hair, complexion fair, scar in middle of back and of the Church of England faith. He gave his mother, Rose Bain, East Bergholt, Suffolk, England as his next of kin.

He received his medical examination at Thompson’s Paddock Brisbane on 7 September 1916. Enoggera Barracks is on land originally called Fraser's Paddock, Bell's Paddock, Thompson's Paddock, Vidgen's Paddock and the Rifle Range and it was here that most Queensland men of the first Australian Imperial Forces did their initial training.

On 8 September 1916, Arthur applied for home leave to visit Mackay to fix business and see friends. He received 8 days leave, 6 on pay. He left Brisbane for Gladstone by train then by steamer to Mackay.

His unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales on 10 February 1917 on board RMS Osterley. The troopship left Melbourne on 14 February 1917 fare welled by a large crowd of family and friends.

Arthur disembarked at Plymouth, England on 11 April 1917 and was marched into Reserve Brigade Australian Artillery (RBAA) at Larkhill camp, England for training.

The Reserve Brigade Australian Artillery (formally the Australian Artillery Depot) was formed in Egypt after the evacuation of ANZAC and landed in England in June 1916.

The Brigade was officially renamed the Reserve Artillery Brigade on 28 November 1916 and was made up of 5 field batteries. As the establishment was considerably larger than that of the Artillery Depot, further accommodation was found to be necessary and Camps 20 and 21 Larkhill were made available and occupied on 6 December 1916. Australian War Diary.

On 15 August 1917 Arthur proceeded overseas to France via Southhampton and marched into A.G.E.D. Rouelles on 16 August 1917. He was marched out to 4th Division Artillery and taken on strength in the field on 20 August 1917. He returned to England on the Warilda on 7 October 1917 and was admitted to 1st Southern General Hospital, Edgbaston, Birmingham, with severe enteritis on 9 October 1917.

Enteritis refers to swelling and irritation of the small intestine; bacteria responsible for enteritis usually enter the body through improperly prepared food.

He was transferred to 3rd Auxiliary Hospital, Dartford on 16 January 1918 with Dysentery and discharged from hospital on 2 February 1918. He was granted furlough to report to No. 2 Command Depot on 16 February 1918.

Arthur left England on 12 March 1918 on Kenilworth Castle, was transhipped to the Field Marshall at Durban on 28 April 1918 and disembarked at Melbourne for forward travel to Brisbane on 22 May 1918.

He was discharged from the AIF at Brisbane medically unfit on 21 July 1918 with Dysentery.

Medals

 British War Medal 28762.  Victory Medal 27441.

He is commemorated on the Buderim Mountain Roll of Honour Board, Buderim War Memorial Hall.

Arthur Edwin BAIN was born at Frome, Somerset, England in October 1886. He died on 15 January 1933 at Sarina, a little town surrounded by sugar cane in the Mackay region, Queensland.

PUBLIC CURATOR - The following estates were accepted for administration during April 1933. Arthur Edwin Bain, Sarina, Cane Farmer. Townsville Daily Bulletin, 5 May 1933.

PARENTS - Rose Bain.

• France
• France
• France

Buderim Mountain Roll of Honour Board (names taken from photograph of the original board)

Buderim Mountain Roll of Honour Board, Buderim War Memorial Hall, Corner of Main & Church Streets, Buderim

Maroochy Shire Honor Roll, Shire Chambers, Bury Street, Nambour

Nambour (Maroochy Shire) Roll of Honor Scroll, Private Collection, Nambour (this scroll was available for sale to the public after the war) (as AE Brain)

National Archives. Townsville Daily Bulletin, 5 May 1933.